Nebraska Congressmen take wait and see attitude to President’s proposals (AUDIO)

President Obama struck some themes during his State of the Union address that resonate with Nebraska’s Congressional delegation. Yet, the Congressmen remain wary about whether the president’s actions will match his rhetoric.

Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, a Republican, says there are areas of agreement between the Democratic president and Congressional Republicans, such as the emphasis on reviving the country’s manufacturing base and creating a level playing field for trade.

“However, the middle part of the speech was replete with ideas that suggest that the president believes power emanates from Washington and should be centered in Washington,” Fortenberry tells Nebraska Radio Network. “The most serious proposal in that regard was his suggestion, basically, that the federal government should take over education and I find that very troublesome.”

Fortenberry says the president’s world view resides in Washington, rather than in the individual working within his local community.

Congressman Lee Terry says President Obama gave one of his typical, good speeches during the State of the Union address.

“But, I have to admit that the cynical part of me is I’ve heard a lot of it before and I’ve heard great things where then the actions were completely opposite of what his statements were,” Terry says in an interview with Nebraska Radio Network. “So, we’ll have to see.”

Terry says the president discussed job creation, but didn’t take into account that some of his policies have hurt job creation.